As bulbs fade and herbaceous borders grow in leaps and bounds, hopefully a great summer is approaching. Sowing and planting out bedding can begin, perhaps later in the month rather than straight away with cold frosty mornings. It's also time to get back into the lawn mowing regime, as the lawn will be loving the warmer temperatures later in the month brings.
Top tips & things to do:
- Watch out for late frosts. Protect tender plants
- Earth up potatoes, and promptly plant any still remaining
- Plant out summer bedding at the end of the month (except in cold areas)
- Water early and late to get the most out of your water, recycle water when possible
- Regularly hoe off weeds
- Open greenhouse vents and doors on warm days
- Mow lawns weekly; Repair bare patches of lawn with turf
- Check for nesting birds before clipping hedges
- Lift and divide overcrowded clumps of daffodils and other spring-flowering bulbs
- Watch out for viburnum beetle and lily beetle grubs
- Dahlias and hardy annuals that have been grown under glass can be planted in the garden at the end of the month
- Late tulips, foxgloves, honesty, and peonies make perfect cut flowers for large floral displays in the house.
Vegetables to plant out in May: Broad beans, Runner beans, Peas, Onions, Garlic, Carrots, salad crops, Leeks, Strawberries
Vegetables to be sown undercover in May: Courgettes, pumpkins & squash and planted out once the seedlings are strong enough
May is tomato time, buy plants to grow on in the greenhouse, or late in May when all risk of frost has passed tomatoes can be planted out in the veg plot in a sunny spot. Tomatoes need attention to produce a good crop.
Rachael Worrall
Marketing Director love2move
